Harris Signs with Nike
May 19, 2010

Contact: Katie Kane, Athletic Media Services, (309) 298-1133
MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois track and field standout ChrisDell Harris graduated with the class of 2010 and has moved on to a contract with the Nike Developmental Team. The Wichita, Kan., native will be living in Kansas City, Mo., as she trains and competes with Nike.
"Western Illinois has been very good to me," Harris said. "There are so many people who helped me get to where I am today. I could name people, but I would miss someone. I don't want to leave anyone out because a lot of people, from the support staff to coaches and professors have all helped me to get where I am. I could go on for days with all of the people who have pushed me to succeed. I could name an influence in every hall I've had a class in. Western is like a family and that's what I believe in."
Family is exactly what started Harris in the direction she is now headed as she grew up alongside twin brother and competitive runner ODell Harris.
"My mom is very big on discipline and when we knew we were in trouble we would take off running," Harris said laughing. "When she saw we could run as fast as we could, she immediately signed us up for primary, AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) and USATF (USA Track and Field)."
ODell and ChrisDell grew up in competition and both attended Barton County Community College and ran track and field. ChrisDell continued on to set Western Illinois records, become a three-time Summit League Champion and rank in the program's top-10 all-time fastest times, while ODell raced for the United States as a part of the Nike team at the 11th IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) World Junior Athletics Championships in Beijing, China in 2006.
"We've always had this rivalry that will never be broken," ChrisDell said. "I always tell him (ODell) that one day I will catch him and I'm almost there. He is my own personal angel that God sent to me. He has always been the consistent male in my life and a true motivator."
In 2008 ChrisDell set Western's record for the indoor 60-meter dash with a time of 7.52 at the Eastern Illinois Early Bird Invitational. She went on to win the indoor 60-meter dash at the Summit League Championships for three straight seasons, setting arena-record times and Summit League records. Her dedication and training have been proven with her many accomplishments. When the start gun fires, Harris has one goal in mind.
"I get a rush. All I can think about is who's getting to the line first. Once I'm ahead of them no one is catching me so it's all about getting out of the blocks," Harris explained. "I want to be the best and in order to be the best you have to win. In order to win you have to practice harder than every other person that's practicing.
"If you get beat at a track meet, then that means that person worked just that much harder than you. I get out and run when I know everyone is in class or asleep when I know no one is looking. I want to be the one who comes out of nowhere and shows people that I can work that hard."
Harris' coach growing up, Pierre Wilkens, saw potential in her as a child as he bought Harris her first pair of running spikes when she entered the second grade. Wilkens made the call to Harris' Nike coach Al Hobson, which helped her along to where she is today.
"Nike is the foot in the door, I want to take it and literally run with it. I dream, but I get shaken every time I get to say that I'm with Nike," Harris said with tears in her eyes. "I get the privilege to work with Victoria Howard who's on the team now. We grew up running AAU track together. We've been running together since primary and we talked about Nike all the time and now we get to run together. My sophomore or freshman year we raced against each other at KU Relays and I took second and she won. I hope to get under her wing since she's working with Nike now."
Harris is off and running with Nike now that she has earned a diploma and made her mark in the Western Illinois track and field record books.
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Posted By: WIU Athletics (SID@wiu.edu)
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